1. health and fitness
2. disease

European Heart Journal (2004) , 1–28
ESC Guidelines
Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Management
of Pericardial Diseases
Full Text
The Task Force on the Diagnosis and Management of Pericardial
Diseases of the European Society of Cardiology
Task Force members, Bernhard Maisch, Chairperson* (Germany), Petar M. Seferovic
(Serbia and Montenegro), Raimund Erbel
(Serbia and Montenegro), Arsen D. Ristic
€
(Germany), Reiner Rienmuller (Austria), Yehuda Adler (Israel), Witold Z. Tomkowski
(Poland), Gaetano Thiene (Italy), Magdi H. Yacoub (UK)
ESC Committee for Practice Guidelines (CPG), Silvia G. Priori (Chairperson) (Italy), Maria Angeles Alonso Garcia
(Spain), Jean-Jacques Blanc (France), Andrzej Budaj (Poland), Martin Cowie (UK), Veronica Dean (France), Jaap
Deckers (The Netherlands), Enrique Fernandez Burgos (Spain), John Lekakis (Greece), Bertil Lindahl (Sweden),
~o Morais (Portugal), Ali Oto (Turkey), Otto A. Smiseth (Norway)
Gianfranco Mazzotta (Italy), Joa
Document Reviewers, Gianfranco Mazzotta, CPG Review Coordinator (Italy), Jean Acar (France), Eloisa Arbustini
(Italy), Anton E. Becker (The Netherlands), Giacomo Chiaranda (Italy), Yonathan Hasin (Israel), Rolf Jenni
€ scher (Switzerland), Fausto J. Pinto
(Switzerland), Werner Klein (Austria), Irene Lang (Austria), Thomas F. Lu
(Portugal), Ralph Shabetai (USA), Maarten L. Simoons (The Netherlands), Jordi Soler Soler (Spain),
David H. Spodick (USA)
Table of contents
Preamble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aetiology and classification of pericardial disease . . .
Pericardial syndromes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Congenital defects of the pericardium . . . . . . . .
Acute pericarditis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chronic pericarditis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recurrent pericarditis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade . . . .
2
2
2
2
2
2
6
6
7
* Corresponding author: Chairperson: Prof. Bernhard Maisch, MD, FESC,
FACC, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Director of the Department of
Internal Medicine-Cardiology, Philipps University, Marburg, Baldingerstrasse 1, D-35033 Marburg, Germany. Tel.: +49-6421-286-6462; Fax: +496421-286-8954.
E-mail address: BerMaisch@aol.com (B. Maisch).
Constrictive pericarditis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Pericardial cysts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Specific forms of pericarditis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Viral pericarditis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Bacterial pericarditis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Tuberculous pericarditis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Pericarditis in renal failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Autoreactive pericarditis and pericardial
involvement in systemic autoimmune
diseases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
The post-cardiac injury syndrome:
postpericardiotomy syndrome . . . . . . . . . . 17
Postinfarction pericarditis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Traumatic pericardial effusion and
haemopericardium in aortic dissection . . . . . 17
Neoplastic pericarditis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Rare forms of pericardial disease . . . . . . . . . . 20
Fungal pericarditis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
0195-668X/$ - see front matter c 2004 The European Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.ehj.2004.02.001
2
Radiation pericarditis . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chylopericardium . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drug- and toxin-related pericarditis . . .
Pericardial effusion in thyroid disorders
Pericardial effusion in pregnancy . . . .
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ESC Guidelines
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Preamble
Guidelines and Expert Consensus documents aim to
present all the relevant evidence on a particular issue in
order to help physicians to weigh the benefits and risks of
a particular diagnostic or therapeutic procedure. They
should be helpful in everyday clinical decision-making.
A great number of Guidelines and Expert Consensus
Documents have been issued in recent years by different
organisations, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)
and by other related societies. By means of links to web
sites of National Societies several hundred guidelines are
available. This profusion can put at stake the authority
and validity of guidelines, which can only be guaranteed if
they have been developed by an unquestionable decisionmaking process. This is one of the reasons why the ESC and
others have issued recommendations for formulating and
issuing Guidelines and Expert Consensus Documents.
In spite of the fact that standards for issuing good
quality Guidelines and Expert Consensus Documents are
well defined, recent surveys of Guidelines and Expert
Consensus Documents published in peer-reviewed journals between 1985 and 1998 have shown that methodological standards were not complied within the vast
majority of cases. It is therefore of great importance
that guidelines and recommendations are presented in
formats that are easily interpreted. Subsequently, their
implementation programmes must also be well conducted. Attempts have been made to determine whether
guidelines improve the quality of clinical practice and
the utilisation of health resources.
The ESC Committee for Practice Guidelines (CPG)
supervises and coordinates the preparation of new
Guidelines and Expert Consensus Documents produced
by Task Forces, expert groups or consensus panels. The
Committee is also responsible for the endorsement of
these Guidelines and Expert Consensus Documents or
statements.
Introduction
The strength of evidence related to a particular diagnostic
or treatment option depends on the available data: (1)
level of evidence A. Multiple randomised clinical trials or
meta-analyses; (2) level of evidence B. A single randomised trial or non-randomised studies; (3) level of evidence C. Consensus opinion of the experts. Indications for
various tests and procedures were ranked in three classes:
Class I: Conditions for which there is evidence and/or
general agreement that a given procedure or
treatment is useful and effective.
Class II: Conditions for which there is conflicting evidence
and/or a divergence of opinion about the usefulness/efficacy of a procedure or treatment.
Class IIa: Weight of evidence/opinion is in
favour of usefulness/efficacy.
Class IIb: Usefulness/efficacy is less well established by evidence/opinion.
Class III: Conditions for which there is evidence and/or
general agreement that the procedure/treatment is not useful/effective and in some cases
may be harmful.
Aetiology and classification of pericardial
disease
The spectrum of pericardial diseases comprises congenital defects, pericarditis (dry, effusive, effusive-constrictive, constrictive), neoplasm, and cysts. The
aetiological classification is shown in Table 1.1–3
Pericardial syndromes
Congenital defects of the pericardium
Congenital defects of the pericardium (1/10.000 autopsies) comprise partial left (70%), right (17%) or total bilateral (extremely rare) pericardial absence. About 30%
of patients have additional congenital abnormalities.4
Most patients with a total absence of pericardium are
asymptomatic. However, homolateral cardiac displacement and augmented heart mobility impose an increased
risk for traumatic aortic type A dissection.5 Partial left
side defects can be complicated by cardiac strangulation
caused by herniation of the left atrial appendage, atrium
or left ventricle through the defect (chest pain, shortness
of breath, syncope or sudden death). The chest X-ray is
typical but the diagnosis is confirmed by echocardiography and CT/MRI.6;7 Excision of the atrial appendage and
surgical pericardioplasty (Dacron, Gore-tex, or bovine
pericardium) is indicated for imminent strangulation.8
Acute pericarditis
Acute pericarditis is either dry, fibrinous or effusive, independent from its aetiology (Table 1).9 A prodrome of
fever (usually <39 °C), malaise, and myalgia is common,
but elderly patients may not be febrile. Major symptoms
are retrosternal or left precordial chest pain (radiates to
the trapezius ridge, can be pleuritic or simulate ischaemia, and varies with posture), non-productive cough, and
shortness of breath. The pericardial friction rub can be
transient, mono-, bi- or triphasic. Pleural effusion may
be present. Pericarditis is often accompanied by some
degree of myocarditis (evidenced by global or regional
myocardial dysfunction, myalgias or rhabdomyolysis, elevations of troponins I and T, MB creatine-kinase, serum
myoglobin levels and tumour necrosis factor). Auscultation of a new S3 heart sound, convexly elevated J-ST
segment in the ECG, fixation of Indium-111-labelled an-
ESC Guidelines
3
Table 1 Review of aetiology, incidence and pathogenesis of pericarditis1–3
Aetiology
Infectious pericarditis
Viral (Coxsackie A9, B1-4, Echo 8, Mumps, EBV, CMV,
Varicella, Rubella, HIV, Parvo B19...)
Bacterial (Pneumo-, Meningo-, Gonococcosis,
Hemophilus, Treponema pallidum, Borreliosis,
Chlamydia, Tuberculosis...)
Fungal (Candida, Histoplasma...)
Parasitary (Entameba histolytica, Echinococcus,
Toxoplasma...)
Incidence (%)
30–50a
5–10a
Pathogenesis
Multiplication and spread of the
causative agent and release of toxic substances in pericardial tissue cause serous,
serofibrinous or haemorrhagic (bacterial, viral, tuberculous, fungal)
or purulent inflammation (bacterial)
Rare
Rare
Pericarditis in systemic autoimmune dis.
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Rheumatoid arthritis
Spondylitis ankylosans
Systemic sclerosis
Dermatomyositis
Periarteritis nodosa
Reiter’s syndrome
Familial Mediterranean fever
30b
30b
1b
>50b
Rare
Rare
2b
0.7b
Type 2 (auto)immune process
Rheumatic fever
Postcardiotomy syndrome
Postmyocardial infarction syndrome
Autoreactive (chronic) pericarditis
20–50b
20b
1–5b
23.1a
Pericarditis and pericardial effusion in diseases
of surrounding organs
Acute MI (P. Epistenocardica)
Myocarditis
Aortic aneurysm
Lung infarction
Pneumonia
Oesophageal diseases
Hydropericardium in CHF
Paraneoplastic pericarditis
5–20b
30b
Rare
Rare
Rare
Rare
Rare
Frequent
1–5 days after transmural MI
Accompanying epimyocarditis
Dissection: haemorrhagic PE
Pericarditis in metabolic disorders
Renal insufficiency (uraemia)
Myxedema
Addison’s disease
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Cholesterol pericarditis
Frequent
30b
Rare
Rare
Very rare
Viral/toxic/autoimmune
Serous, cholesterol rich PE
Membranous leak?
Pregnancy
Traumatic pericarditis
Direct injury (penetrating thoracic injury,
oesophageal perforation, foreign bodies)
Indirect injury (Non-penetrating thoracic injury,
mediastinal irradiation)
Neoplastic pericardial disease
Primary tumours
Secondary metastatic tumours
Cardiac manifestations of the basic
disease, often clinically mild or silent
Secondary, after infection/surgery
Mostly in acute phase
10–14 days after surgery
DDg P. epistenocardica
Common form
No direct neoplastic infiltrate
Transudation of cholesterol
(sterile serofibrinous PE)
Rare
Rare
Rare
35a
Rare
Frequent
Lung carcinoma
Breast carcinoma
40c
22c
Gastric and colon
Other carcinoma
Leukemia and lymphoma
Melanoma
Sarcoma
Other tumours
3c
6c
15c
3c
4c
7c
Less frequent after introduction of
topical convergent irradiation
Serous or fibrinous, frequently
haemorrhagic effusion
Accompanying disease during the
infiltration of malignant cells
4
ESC Guidelines
Table 1 (continued)
Aetiology
Incidence (%)
Pathogenesis
Idiopathic
3.5a ,
in other
series >50a
Serous, fibrinous, sometimes haemorrhagic
PE with suspect viral or autoimmune secondary immunopathogenesis
CHF, congestive heart failure; DDg, differential diagnosis; MI, myocardial infarction; P., pericarditis; PE, pericardial effusion.
Percentage related to the population of 260 subsequent patients undergoing pericardiocentesis, pericardioscopy and epicardial biopsy (Marburg
pericarditis registry 1988–2001).1
b
Percentage related to the incidence of pericarditis in the specific population of patients (e.g., with systemic lupus erythematosus).
c
Percentage related to the population of patients with neoplastic pericarditis.
a
timyosin antibodies, and structural changes in MRI are
indicative.9 However, only endomyocardial/epimyocardial biopsy findings are diagnostic.
The diagnostic algorithm can be derived from
Table 2.10–21 Heart rate is usually rapid and regular. Microvoltage and electrical alternans are reversible after
effusion drainage.22 Findings by chest X-ray, computer
tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
are shown in Table 3.23;24 Echocardiography is essential
to detect pericardial effusion and to check for concomitant heart disease or paracardial pathology.12;13
Hospitalisation is warranted for most patients to determine the aetiology, observe for tamponade, and start
anti-inflammatory and symptomatic treatment. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are the mainstay
(level of evidence B, class I). Ibuprofen is preferred for its
Table 2 Diagnostic pathway and sequence of performance in acute pericarditis (level of evidence B for all procedures)
Technique
Characteristic findings
Reference
Obligatory (indication class I)
Auscultation
Pericardial rub (mono-, bi-, or triphasic)
11
ECG
Stage I: anterior and inferior concave ST segment elevation. PR segment
deviations opposite to P polarity.
Early stage II: ST junctions return to the baseline, PR deviated.
Late stage II: T waves progressively flatten and invert
Stage III: generalised T wave inversions
Stage IV: ECG returns to prepericarditis state.
9
Echocardiography
Effusion types B-D (Horowitz) (Fig. 1)
Signs of tamponade (see Section 3.5)
12; 13
Blood analyses
(a) ESR, CRP, LDH, leukocytes (inflammation markers)
(b) Troponin I, CK-MB (markers of myocardial lesion)b
14
Chest X-ray
Ranging from normal to “water bottle” heart shadow.
Revealing additional pulmonary/mediastinal pathology.
15
a
Mandatory in tamponade (indication class I), optional in large/recurrent effusions or if previous tests inconclusive (indication
class IIa) in small effusions (indication class IIb)
Pericardiocentesis and drainage
PCR and histochemistry for aetiopathogenetic classification of infection or 2; 10; 16
neoplasia
Optional or if previous tests inconclusive (indication class IIa)
CT
Effusions, peri-, and epicardium
MRI
Effusions, peri-, and epicardium
Pericardioscopy, pericardial biopsy
Establishing the specific aetiology
a
17
17
2; 10; 18; 19
Typical lead involvement: I, II, aVL, aVF, and V3-V6. The ST segment is always depressed in aVR, frequently in V1, and occasionally in V2. Occasionally, stage IV does not occur and there are permanent T wave inversions and flattenings. If ECG is first recorded in stage III, pericarditis cannot
be differentiated by ECG from diffuse myocardial injury, “biventricular strain,” or myocarditis. ECG in EARLY REPOLARIZATION is very similar to
stage I. Unlike stage I, this ECG does not acutely evolve and J-point elevations are usually accompanied by a slur, oscillation, or notch at the end of
the QRS just before and including the J point (best seen with tall R and T waves – large in early repolarisation pattern). Pericarditis is likely if in lead
V6 the J point is >25% of the height of the T wave apex (using the PR segment as a baseline).
b
Cardiac troponin I was detectable in 49% and >1.5 ng/ml in 22% of 69 patients with acute pericarditis (only in those with ST elevation in ECG)
investigated by Bonnefoy et al.20 In another study21 troponin I was detected in 10/14 patients with a median peak concentration of 21.4 mg/ml
(range 0.5 to >50 ng/ml). CK-MB was elevated in 8/14 patients with the median peak of 21 U/l (range 13–43), corresponding to the relative index of
10.2% of the total CK activity.
ESC Guidelines
5
Table 3 Patterns of pericardial changes, their visualization and interpretation in chest X-ray, computer tomography (CT) and
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)23;24
Pattern
Patho-anatomic
basis
Chest X-ray
CT
MR
Normal thickness –
Lateral view
between
mediastinal
and subepicardial
fat
Thin signal-free
No pathology
line round the heart
as long subepicardial
and mediastinal
fat present
(for delineation) ++
Thickened and
smooth
Acute inflammatory
process, effusion
Thickened
pericardial line on
lateral chest X-ray
view +
Thin line in front
of the right atrium
and right
ventricle between
mediastinum
and subepicardial
fat +++
CT-values for
DD +++
Thickened
irregular
Chronic
inflammatory
process
Irregular contours
of cardiac
silhouette +
+++
+++
Thickened
irregular,
calcified
End-stage of
High density +
inflammatory
traumatic of
haemorrhagic process
High CT value
+++
Poor signal
++
MR-signals for
DD ++
Interpretation
(Differential
diagnosis)
Acute, subacute
pericarditis,
pericardial effusion,
DD liquid, semiliquid,
haemorrhagic,
purulent, solid
Chronic pericarditis,
pericardial fibrosis,
tumour, metastasis
post surgery
Pericarditis calcarea,
calcified tumours
+, visible; ++, good; +++, best visualization.
rare side effects, favourable effect on the coronary flow,
and the large dose range.9 Depending on severity and
response, 300–800 mg every 6–8 h may be initially required and can be continued for days or weeks, best until
the effusion has disappeared. Gastrointestinal protection
must be provided in all patients. Colchicine (0.5 mg bid)
added to an NSAID or as monotherapy also appears to be
effective for the initial attack and the prevention of recurrences (level of evidence B, class IIa indication).25 It is
well tolerated with fewer side effects than NSAIDs. Systemic corticosteroid therapy should be restricted to
connective tissue diseases, autoreactive or uremic peri-
carditis. Intrapericardial application avoids systemic side
effects and is highly effective (level of evidence B, class
IIa).2 For tapering of prednisone, ibuprofen or colchicine
should be introduced early (class IIa, level of evidence
B).25 Recovered patients should be observed for recurrences or constriction. If patients require anticoagulants,
heparin is recommended under strict observation. Pericardiocentesis is indicated for clinical tamponade, high
suspicion of purulent or neoplastic pericarditis (class I
indication, level of evidence B), or for large or symptomatic effusions despite the medical treatment for more
than one week 9;26–37 (Focus box 1).
Focus box 1 Pericardiocentesis
Pericardiocentesis is life saving in cardiac tamponade (level of evidence B, class I indication).27 Aortic dissection is a
major contraindication.28 Relative contraindications include uncorrected coagulopathy, anticoagulant therapy,
thrombocytopenia <50,000/mm3 , small, posterior, and loculated effusions. Pericardiocentesis in acute traumatic
haemopericardium and purulent pericarditis is probably less appropriate than surgical drainage.9 In effusions
causing no haemodynamic compromise pericardiocentesis is indicated in effusions >20 mm in echocardiography in
diastole29 or for diagnostic purposes if additional procedures are available (e.g., pericardial fluid and tissue analyses, pericardioscopy, and epicardial/pericardial biopsy) which could reveal the etiology of the disease and permit
further causative therapy (level of evidence B, class IIa indication).2;10;18;19
Pericardiocentesis guided by fluoroscopy is performed in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory with ECG monitoring. Direct ECG monitoring from the puncturing needle is not an adequate safeguard.30 Right-heart catheterisation can be performed simultaneously with pericardiocentesis, allowing monitoring the improvement as the
effusion is drained. The subxiphoid approach has been used most commonly, with a long needle with a mandrel
(Tuohy or thin-walled 18-gauge) directed towards the left shoulder at a 30° angle to the skin. This route is extrapleural and avoids the coronary, pericardial, and internal mammary arteries. The operator intermittently attempts
to aspirate fluid and injects small amounts of contrast. If haemorrhagic fluid is freely aspirated a few millilitres of
contrast medium may be injected under fluoroscopic observation. The appearance of sluggish layering of contrast
medium inferiorly indicates that the needle is correctly positioned. A soft J-tip guidewire is introduced and after
6
ESC Guidelines
dilatation exchanged for a multi-holed pigtail catheter. It is prudent to drain the fluid in steps of less than 1 l at a
time to avoid the acute right-ventricular dilatation (“sudden decompression syndrome”).31 It is essential to check
the position of the guidewire in at least two angiographic projections. If the guidewire was erroneously placed
intracardially, this should be recognized before insertion of the dilator and drainage catheter. If, despite the
caution, the introducer set or the catheter have perforated the heart and are laying intracardially, the catheter
should be secured and the patient promptly transferred to the cardiac surgery. Alternatively, a second puncture can
be attempted. If successful, surgery may be avoided using autotransfusion of pericardial blood.
Echocardiographic guidance of pericardiocentesis is technically less demanding and can be performed in the
intensive care unit at the bedside.16 Echocardiography should identify the shortest route where the pericardium can
be entered intercostally (usually in the sixth or seventh rib space in the anterior axillary line). Prolonged pericardial
drainage is performed until the volume of effusion obtained by intermittent pericardial aspiration (every 4–6 h) fall
to <25 ml per day.32
The feasibility is high (93%) in patients with anterior effusion P 10 mm while the rate of success is only 58% with
small, posteriorly located effusions. Fluoroscopic and haemodynamic monitoring improve feasibility (93.1% vs.
73.3%) in comparison to emergency pericardial puncture with no imaging control.33 The tangential approach using
the epicardial halo phenomenon in the lateral view34 significantly increased the feasibility of fluoroscopically guided
pericardiocentesis in patients with small effusions (200–300 ml) (92.6% vs. 84.9%) and very small effusions (<200
ml) (89.3% vs. 76.7%). Pericardiocentesis with echocardiography guidance was feasible in 96% of loculated pericardial effusions after cardiac surgery.35 A rescue pericardiocentesis guided by echocardiography, successfully
relieved tamponade after cardiac perforation in 99% of 88 patients, and was the definitive therapy in 82% of the
cases.36 The most serious complications of pericardiocentesis are laceration and perforation of the myocardium and
the coronary vessels. In addition, patients can experience air embolism, pneumothorax, arrhythmias (usually vasovagal bradycardia), and puncture of the peritoneal cavity or abdominal viscera.33 Internal mammary artery fistulas, acute pulmonary oedema, and purulent pericarditis were rarely reported. The safety was improved with
echocardiographic or fluoroscopic guidance. Recent large echocardiographic series reported an incidence of major
complications of 1.3–1.6%.16;32;35;36 In a large series of fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous pericardiocenteses37
cardiac perforations occurred in 0.9%, serious arrhythmias in 0.6%, arterial bleeding in 1.1%, pneumothorax in 0.6%,
infection in 0.3%, and a major vagal reaction in 0.3%. Incidence of major complications was further significantly
reduced by utilizing the epicardial halo phenomenon for fluoroscopic guidance.34
Chronic pericarditis
Chronic pericardial inflammation (>3 months) includes
effusive, adhesive, and constrictive forms.9 It is important to differentiate chronic inflammatory effusions from
non-inflammatory hydropericardium (congestive heart
failure). Symptoms are usually mild (chest pain, palpitations, fatigue), related to the degree of chronic cardiac compression and residual pericardial inflammation.
The diagnostic algorithm is similar as in acute pericarditis (Table 2). The detection of the curable causes
(e.g., tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, myxedema, autoimmune, and systemic diseases) allows specific therapy
with high success rate. Symptomatic treatment is as in
acute pericarditis. Intrapericardial instillation of crystalloid nonabsorbable corticosteroids is highly efficient in
autoreactive forms.2 Pericardiocentesis is indicated as
diagnostic and therapeutic procedure. If the recurrences
are frequent, pleuropericardial fenestration and percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy may be appropriate (level of evidence B, indication class IIb).38 For chronic
persistent/recurrent large effusions despite intrapericardial therapy or balloon pericardiotomy, pericardiectomy should be considered.29
Recurrent pericarditis
The term recurrent pericarditis encompasses (1) the intermittent type (widely varying symptom-free interval
without therapy) and (2) the incessant type (discontinuation of anti-inflammatory therapy always ensures a relapse). Mechanisms suggested to explain recurrence
include: (1) insufficient dose or/and insufficient treatment duration of antiphlogistics or corticoids in an autoimmune pericardial disease, (2) early corticosteroid
treatment causing augmented viral DNA/RNA replication
in pericardial tissue leading to increased viral antigen
exposure, (3) reinfection, and (4) exacerbation of the
connective tissue disease. Evidence for an immunopathological process includes: (1) the latent period lasting for
months; (2) the presence of anti-heart antibodies; (3) the
quick response to steroid treatment and the similarity
and co-existence of recurrent pericarditis with other
autoimmune conditions (lupus, serum sickness, polyserositis, postpericardiotomy/postmyocardial infarction
syndrome, celiac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis, frequent arthralgias, eosinophilia, allergic drug reaction,
and history of allergy). Evidence of a potential underlying
genetic disorder in recurrent pericarditis is rare familial
clustering with autosomal dominant inheritance with incomplete penetrance39 and sex-linked inheritance
(chronic recurrent pericarditis associated with ocular
hypertension) suggested in two families.40 Precordial
pain, often with a pleuritic component, is characteristic.
Fever, pericardial rub, dyspnoea, elevated erythrocyte
sedimentation rate, and electrocardiographic changes
may also occur. Massive pericardial effusion, cardiac
tamponade, and pericardial constriction are rare.
ESC Guidelines
Symptomatic management relies on exercise restriction and the regimen used in acute pericarditis. Indomethacin should be avoided in elderly patients due to its
flow reduction in the coronaries.9 Colchicine inhibits
mitoses in the cell nucleus, binds to tubulin, inhibits
various polymorphonuclear functions, interferes with
transcellular movement of collagen. It was effective for
recurrent pericarditis when NSAIDs and corticosteroids
failed to prevent relapses.25;41–43 During 1004 months of
colchicine treatment, only 13.7% new recurrences occurred.25 During the 2333 months of follow-up, 60.7% of
the patients remained recurrence-free. The recommended dose is two mg/day for one or two days, followed
by one mg/day (level of evidence B, indication class I).
Corticosteroids should be used only in patients with poor
general condition or in frequent crises9 (level of evidence
C, indication class IIa). A common mistake is to use a dose
too low to be effective or to taper the dose too rapidly.
The recommended regimen is: prednisone 1–1.5 mg/kg,
for at least one month. If patients do not respond adequately, azathioprine (75–100 mg/day) or cyclophosphamide can be added.44 Tapering of corticoids should
occur over a three-month period. If symptoms recur
during the taper, return to the last dose that suppressed
the manifestations, maintain that dose for 2–3 weeks and
then recommence tapering. Towards the end of the taper, introduce anti-inflammatory treatment with colchicine or NSAID. Renewed treatment should continue for at
least three months. Pericardiectomy is indicated only in
frequent and highly symptomatic recurrences resistant to
medical treatment (level of evidence B, indication class
IIa).45 Before pericardiectomy, the patient should be on a
steroid-free regimen for several weeks.46 Post pericardiectomy recurrences were also demonstrated, possibly
due to incomplete resection of the pericardium.
7
(diaphragm) can occur. Heart sounds are distant. Compression of the base of the lung results in a dullness
under the left scapula (Bamberger–Pins–Ewart’s sign).9
In tamponade chest discomfort, tachypnea and dyspnoea
on exertion progress to orthopnoea, cough and dysphagia, occasionally also with episodes of unconsciousness.
Insidiously developing tamponade may present with the
signs of its complications (renal failure, abdominal
plethora, shock liver and mesenteric ischaemia). In 60%
of the patients, the cause of pericardial effusion may be
a known medical condition.49 Tamponade without two or
more inflammatory signs (typical pain, pericardial friction rub, fever, diffuse ST segment elevation) is usually
associated with a malignant effusion (likelihood ratio
2.9). Electrocardiography may demonstrate diminished
QRS and T-wave voltages, PR-segment depression, ST-T
changes, bundle branch block, and electrical alternans
(rarely seen in the absence of tamponade).50 In chest
radiography large effusions are depicted as globular
cardiomegaly with sharp margins (“water bottle” silhouette).15 On well-penetrated lateral radiographies, or
better on cine films, pericardial fluid is suggested by
lucent lines within the cardiopericardial shadow (epicardial halo sign, or various other terms for this phenomenon).15;51;52 Recently, it was suggested that this sign
might be useful for fluoroscopic guidance of pericardiocentesis.34 The separation of pericardial layers can be
detected in echocardiography, when the pericardial fluid
exceeds 15–35 ml (Fig. 1).50 The size of effusions can be
Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade
Pericardial effusion may appear as transudate (hydropericardium), exudate, pyopericardium or haemopericardium. Large effusions are common with neoplastic,
tuberculous, cholesterol, uremic pericarditis, myxedema, and parasitoses.47 Effusions that develop slowly
can be remarkably asymptomatic, while rapidly accumulating smaller effusions can present with tamponade.
Loculated effusions are more common when scarring has
supervened (e.g., postsurgical, posttrauma, postpurulent pericarditis). Massive chronic pericardial effusions
are rare (2–3.5% of all large effusions).48 Cardiac tamponade is the decompensated phase of cardiac compression caused by effusion accumulation and the
increased intrapericardial pressure. In “surgical” tamponade intrapericardial pressure is rising rapidly, in the
matter of minutes to hours (i.e., haemorrhage), whereas
a low-intensity inflammatory process is developing in
days to weeks before cardiac compression occurs
(“medical” tamponade). The volume of fluid causing
tamponade varies inversely with both parietal pericardial
stiffness and thickness (150–2000 ml). In local compression, dyspnoea, dysphagia, hoarseness (recurrent
laryngeal nerve), hiccups (phrenic nerve), or nausea
Fig. 1 Horowitz classification of pericardial effusions. Type A, no effusion; Type B, separation of epicardium and pericardium (3–16 ml ¼ 1–3
mm); Type C 1, systolic and diastolic separation of epicardium and
pericardium (small effusion >15 ml P 1 mm in Diastole); Type C 2, systolic and diastolic separation of epicardium and pericardium with attenuated pericardial motion; Type D, pronounced separation of
epicardium and pericardium with large echo-free space; Type E, pericardial thickening (>4 mm). (Horowitz, Circulation ‘74). Copyrights
American Heart Association.
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ESC Guidelines
graded as: (1) small (echo-free space in diastole <10
mm), (2) moderate (at least P 10 mm posteriorly), (3)
large ( P 20 mm), or (4) very large ( P 20 mm and compression of the heart). In large pericardial effusions, the
heart may move freely within the pericardial cavity
(“swinging heart”). This exaggerated motion of the heart
induces “pseudo” motions like pseudomitral valve prolapse, pseudosystolic anterior motion of the mitral valve,
paradoxical motion of the interventricular septum,
midsystolic aortic valve closure.53 Importantly, effusion
size is an overall predictor of prognosis: large effusions
generally indicate more serious disease.9 Two-dimensional echocardiography also provides information about
the nature of the fluid, suggesting the presence of fibrin,
clot, tumour, air, and calcium. Intrapericardial bands,
often found after radiation of the chest, are frequently
combined with a thick visceral or parietal pericardium.54
Rarely tumour masses, sometimes cauliflower-like, are
found within or adjacent to the pericardium.55 In parasternal long-axis view pericardial fluid reflects at the
posterior atrioventricular groove, while pleural fluid
continues under the left atrium, posterior to the de-
Table 4 Diagnosis of cardiac tamponade
Clinical
presentation
Precipitating
factors
ECG
Chest X-ray
M mode/2D
echocardiogram
Elevated systemic pressure,a tachycardia,b pulsus paradoxus,c hypotension,d
dyspnoea or tachypnoea with clear lungs
Drugs (cyclosporine, anticoagulants, thrombolytics, etc.), recent cardiac surgery, indwelling
instrumentation, blunt chest trauma, malignancies, connective tissue disease, renal failure,
septicaemiae
Can be normal or non-specifically changed (ST-T wave), electrical alternans (QRS, rarely T),
bradycardia (end-stage), Electromechanical dissociation (agonal phase)
Enlarged cardiac silhouette with clear lungs
Diastolic collapse of the (1) anterior RV-free wall,62f RA collapse,63 LA64 and very rarely LV65 collapse,
increased LV diastolic wall thickness “pseudohypertrophy”,66 VCI dilatation (no collapse in
inspirium), “swinging heart”67
Doppler
Tricuspid flow increases and mitral flow decreases during inspiration (reverse in expiration)
Systolic and diastolic flows are reduced in systemic veins in expirium and reverse flow with atrial
contraction is increased68
M-mode colour Doppler
Large respiratory fluctuations in mitral/tricuspid flows69
Cardiac
catheterisation
(1) Confirmation of the diagnosis and quantification of the haemodynamic compromise70
RA pressure is elevated (preserved systolic x descent and absent or diminished diastolic y
descent)
Intrapericardial pressure is also elevated and virtually identical to RA pressure (both pressures
fall in inspiration)
RV mid-diastolic pressure elevated and equal to the RA and pericardial pressures (no dip-and
plateau configuration)
Pulmonary artery diastolic pressure is slightly elevated and may correspond to the RV pressure
Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure is also elevated and nearly equal to intrapericardial and right
atrial pressure
LV systolic and aortic pressures may be normal or reduced
(2) Documenting that pericardial aspiration is followed by haemodynamic improvementg
(3) Detection of the coexisting haemodynamic abnormalities (LV failure, constriction, pulmonary
hypertension)
(4) Detection of associated cardiovascular diseases (cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease)
RV/LV
angiography
Coronary
angiography
Computer
tomography
Atrial collapse and small hyperactive ventricular chambers
Coronary compression in diastole
No visualisation of subepicardial fat along both ventricles, which show tube-like configuration and
anteriorly drawn atrias
LA, left atrium; LV, left ventricle; RA, right atrium; RV, right ventricle; VCI, inferior vena cava.
Jugular venous distension is less notable in hypovolemic patients or in “surgical tamponade”. An inspiratory increase or lack of fall of the pressure
in the neck veins (Kussmaul sign), when verified with tamponade, or after pericardial drainage, indicates effusive-constrictive disease.
b
Heart rate is usually >100 beats/min, but may be lower in hypothyroidism and in uremic patients.
c
Pulsus paradoxus is absent in tamponade complicating atrial septal defect71 and in patients with significant aortic regurgitation.
d
Occasional patients are hypertensive especially if they have pre-existing hypertension.72
e
Febrile tamponade may be misdiagnosed as septic shock.
f
Right ventricular collapse can be absent in elevated right ventricular pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy73 or in right ventricular infarction.
g
If after drainage of pericardial effusion intrapericardial pressure does not fall below atrial pressure, the effusive-constrictive disease should be
considered.
a
ESC Guidelines
scending aorta. Diagnostic pitfalls are: small loculated
effusions, haematoma, cysts, tumours, foramen of Morgagni hernia, hiatus hernia, lipodystrophia with paracardial fat, inferior left pulmonary vein, left pleural
effusion, mitral annulus calcification, giant left atrium,
epicardial fat (best differentiated in CT), and left ventricular pseudoaneurysm.55 Metastatic infiltration of the
pericardium may masquerade pericardial tamponade in
echocardiography in patients with no pericardial effusion.56 After open-heart surgery, localized effusion at
the posterior wall can be found with complete compression of the right atrium leading to cardiac tamponade. This may be misinterpreted as atrial myxoma or
other cardiac tumour.57 When bleeding into the pericardium occurs and thrombosis develops the typical
echolucent areas may disappear, so that development of
cardiac tamponade may be overlooked. Transesophageal
echocardiography is particularly useful in postoperative
loculated pericardial effusion or intrapericardial clot58 as
well as in identifying metastases and pericardial
thickening.59 CT, spin-echo and cine MRI can also be used
to assess the size and extent of simple and complex
pericardial effusions. The effusions measured by CT or by
MRI may tend to be larger than by echocardiography.24;60
Up to one-third of patients with asymptomatic large
pericardial chronic effusion developed unexpected cardiac tamponade.29 Triggers for tamponade include hypovolemia, paroxysmal tachyarrhythmia and intercurrent
acute pericarditis; often no trigger is identifiable.61 Major diagnostic findings in cardiac tamponade are noted in
Table 462–70 and Focus box 2.71;72
Pericardiocentesis may not be necessary when the
diagnosis can be made based on other systemic features
or the effusions are very small or resolving under antiinflammatory treatment. Where doubt remains, pericardiocentesis, pericardioscopy and epicardial and pericardial biopsy (including PCR, immunocytochemistry and
immunohistochemistry) may be valuable (level of evidence B, class IIa indication).2;10;18; 19 (Focus box 1, 3-5)
Haemodynamic compromise and cardiac tamponade is an
absolute indication for drainage (class I indication). Patients with dehydration and hypovolemia may temporarily improve with intravenous fluids enhancing
ventricular filling. Pericardiocentesis is not applicable in
wounds, ruptured ventricular aneurysm, or dissecting
aortic haematoma, when clotting makes needle evacu-
9
ation impossible so that surgical drainage with suppression of bleeding sources is mandatory. Loculated
effusions may require thoracoscopic drainage, subxyphoid window or open surgery.45 All patients should be
monitored for postdrainage decompensation. Whenever
possible, treatment should be aimed at the underlying
aetiology rather than the effusion itself. However, even
in idiopathic effusions extended pericardial catheter
drainage (3 2 days, range 1–13 days) was associated
with a trend to lower recurrence rates (6% vs. 23%) than
in those without catheter drainage during the follow-up
of 3.8 4.3 years.32 Resistant neoplastic processes require intrapericardial treatment,89 percutaneous balloon
pericardiotomy38 or rarely pericardiectomy. Surgical
approach is recommended only in patients with very
large chronic effusion (with or without symptoms) in
whom repeated pericardiocentesis and/or intrapericardial therapy were not successful.99
Constrictive pericarditis
Constrictive pericarditis is a rare but severely disabling
consequence of the chronic inflammation of the pericardium, leading to an impaired filling of the ventricles
and reduced ventricular function. Tuberculosis, mediastinal irradiation, and previous cardiac surgical procedures are frequent causes of the disease, which can
present in several pathoanatomical forms23 (Fig. 2).
Constrictive pericarditis may rarely develop only in the
epicardial layer in patients with previously removed parietal pericardium.100 Transient constrictive pericarditis
is rare entity, distinguished by its self-limiting nature.101
Patients complain about fatigue, peripheral oedema,
breathlessness, and abdominal swelling, which may be
aggravated by a protein-loosing enteropathy. Typically,
there is a long delay between the initial pericardial inflammation and the onset of constriction. In decompensated patients venous congestion, hepatomegaly, pleural
effusions, and ascites may occur. Haemodynamic impairment of the patient can be additionally aggravated
by a systolic dysfunction due to myocardial fibrosis or
atrophy. Clinical, echocardiographic, and haemodynamic
parameters can be derived from Table 5.23;59;103–106 Differential diagnosis has to include acute dilatation of the
heart, pulmonary embolism, right ventricular infarction,
pleural effusion, chronic obstructive lung diseases102 and
Focus box 2 Determination of pulsus paradoxus
Pulsus paradoxus is defined as a drop in systolic blood pressure >10 mmHg during inspiration whereas diastolic blood
pressure remains unchanged. It is easily detected by feeling the pulse.71;72 During inspiration, the pulse may disappear or its volume diminishes significantly. Clinically significant pulsus paradoxus is apparent when the patient is
breathing normally. When present only in deep inspiration it should be interpreted with caution. The magnitude of
pulsus paradoxus is evaluated by sphygmomanometry. If the pulsus paradoxus is present, the first Korotkoff sound is
not heard equally well throughout the respiratory cycle, but only during expiration at a given blood pressure. The
blood pressure cuff is therefore inflated above the patients systolic pressure. Then it is slowly deflated while the
clinician observes the phase of respiration. During deflation, the first Korotkoff sound is intermittent. Correlation
with the patients respiratory cycle identifies a point at which the sound is audible during expiration, but disappears
in inspiration. As the cuff pressure drops, another point is reached when the first blood pressure sound is audible
throughout the respiratory cycle. The difference in systolic pressure between these two points is the measure of
pulsus paradoxus.
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ESC Guidelines
Fig. 2 Pathoanatomical forms of constrictive pericarditis vs. restrictive cardiomyopathy. (a) Annular form of pericardial constriction with bilateral
thickening of the pericardium along the atrial ventricular grooves with normal configuration of both ventricles and enlargement of both atria. (b) Left
sided form of pericardial constriction with thickened pericardium along the left ventricle and right sided bending of the interventricular septum with
tube-like configuration of mainly left ventricle and enlargement of both atria (lateral sternotomy and partial pericardiectomy is indicated). (c) Right
sided form of pericardial constriction with thickened pericardium along the right ventricle and left sided bending of the interventricular septum with
tube-like configuration of mainly right ventricle and enlargement of both atria (median sternotomy and partial pericardiectomy is indicated). (d) Myocardial atrophy and global form of pericardial constriction with bilateral thickening of the pericardium along both ventricles separated from the right
myocardial wall by a thin layer of subepicardial fat. Tube-like configuration of both ventricles and enlargement of both atria, however, thinning of the
interventricular septum and posterolareral wall of the left ventricle below 1 cm is suggesting myocardial atrophy (pericardiectomy is contraindicated).
(e) Perimyocardial fibrosis and global form of pericardial constriction with bilateral thickening of the pericardium along both ventricles, however, the
right sided thickened pericardium cannot be separated from the wave-like thin form of right sided ventricular wall suggesting perimyocardial fibrosis
(pericardiectomy is contraindicated). (f) Global form of pericardial constriction with bilateral thickening of the pericardium along both ventricles
separated from the right myocardial wall by a thin layer of subepicardial fat. Tube-like configuration of both ventricles and enlargement of both atria
(median sternotomy and pericardiectomy is indicated). (g) Restrictive cardiomyopathy with normal thin pericardium along both ventricles that show
normal configuration and with enlargement of both atria.
restrictive cardiomyopathy. The best way to distinguish
constrictive pericarditis from restrictive cardiomyopathy
is the analysis of respiratory changes with or without
changes of preload by Doppler and/or tissue Doppler
echocardiography,107 but physical findings, ECG, chest
radiography, CT and MRI, haemodynamics, and endomyocardial biopsy may be helpful as well (Table 6).9
Pericardiectomy is the only treatment for permanent
constriction. The indications are based upon clinical
symptoms, echocardiography findings, CT/MRI, and heart
catheterisation. There are two standard approaches,
both aiming at resecting the diseased pericardium as far
as possible:108–111 (1) The antero-lateral thoracotomy
(fifth intercostal space) and (2) median sternotomy
(faster access to the aorta and right atrium for extracorporeal circulation). A primary installation of cardiopulmonary bypass is not recommended, due to the
enhanced diffuse bleeding during dissection of the pericardium, following systemic heparinisation. If severe
calcified adhesions between peri- and epicardium or a
general affection of the epicardium (“outer porcelain
heart”) are present surgery carries a high risk of either
incomplete success or severe myocardial damage. An
alternative approach in such cases may be a “laser
shaving” using an Excimer laser.109 Areas of strong calcification or dense scaring may be left as islands to avoid
major bleeding. Pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis has a mortality rate of 6%–12% in the current
series.109;111 The complete normalization of cardiac
haemodynamics is reported in only 60% of the patients.108;110 The deceleration time (DT) may remain
prolonged112 and postoperative respiratory variations of
mitral/tricuspid flow are found in 9–25%.110;113 Left
ventricular ejection fraction increases due to a better
ventricular filling110; 112 but consistent changes of the left
and right atrial sizes were not reported. Major complications include acute perioperative cardiac insufficiency
and ventricular wall rupture.114 Cardiac mortality and
morbidity at pericardiectomy is mainly caused by the
pre-surgically unrecognised presence of myocardial atrophy or myocardial fibrosis (Fig. 2).23 Myocardial atrophy in CT is characterized by: (1) Thinning of the
interventricular septum and posterolateral wall (<1 cm);
(2) Reduction of the wall thickening during the cardiac
cycle (<40%); and (3) Reduction of the left-ventricular
muscle mass (LVMM)/end-diastolic volume (EDV) ratio
(<1). Myocardial fibrosis should be considered whenever
the thickened/calcified pericardium is not separated
from the myocardium by subepicardial fat and when the
myocardial wall is showing wave-like appearance with
wall thinning. Exclusion of patients with extensive myocardial fibrosis and/or atrophy led to a reduction of the
mortality rate for pericardiectomy to 5%.23 Postoperative low cardiac output114 should be treated by fluid
substitution and catecholamines, high doses of digitalis,
and intraaortic balloon pump in most severe cases. If
indication for surgery was established early, long-term
survival after pericardiectomy corresponds to that of the
general population.109;110 However, if severe clinical
symptoms were present for a longer period before surgery, even a complete pericardiectomy may not achieve
a total restitution.
Can be normal, or reveal low QRS voltage, generalized T-wave inversion/flattening, LA abnormalities, atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular block,
intraventricular conduction defects, or rarely pseudoinfarction pattern
Pericardial calcifications, pleural effusions
Pericardial thickening and calcificationsa as well as the indirect signs of constriction:
RA & LA enlargement with normal appearance of the ventricles, and normal systolic function.
Early pathological outward and inward movement of the interventricular septum (“dip-plateau phenomenon”)102
Flattering waves at the LV posterior wall
LV diameter is not increasing after the early rapid filling phase.
VCI and the hepatic veins are dilated with restricted respiratory fluctuations.b
Restricted filling of both ventricles with respiratory variation >25% over the AV-valves).103c
Measurement of the pericardial thickness59
Thickened and/or calcified pericardium, tube-like configuration of one or both ventricles, enlargement of one or both atria, narrowing of one or
both atrio-ventricular grooves, congestion of the caval veins23
“Dip and plateau” or “square route” sign in the pressure curve of the right and/or left ventricle
Equalisation of LV/RV end-diastolic pressures in the range of 5 mmHg or less.102d
The reduction of RV & LV size and increase of RA & LA size
During diastole a rapid early filling with stop of further enlargement (“dip-plateau”)
In all patients over 35 years and in patients with a history of mediastinal irradiation, regardless of the age
ECG
Chest X-ray
M mode/2D echocardiogram
Doppler
TEE
CT/MRI
Cardiac catheterisation
RV/LV angiography
Coronary angiography
a
LA, left atrium; LV, left ventricle; RA, right atrium; RV, right ventricle; VCI, inferior vena cava; TEE, transoesophageal echocardiography.
Thickening of the pericardium is not always equal to constriction (absent in 18% of 143 surgically proven cases). When clinical, echocardiographic, or invasive haemodynamic features indicate constriction,
pericardiectomy should not be denied on the basis of normal pericardial thickness.104
b
Diagnosis is difficult in atrial fibrillation. Hepatic diastolic vein flow reversal in expirium is observed even when the flow velocity pattern is inconclusive.103
c
Patients with increased atrial pressures or mixed constriction and restriction demonstrate <25% respiratory changes.102 A provocation test with head-up tilting or sitting position with decrease of preload may
unmask the constrictive pericarditis105
d
In the early stage or in the occult form, these signs may not be present and the rapid infusion of 1–2 l of normal saline may be necessary to establish the diagnosis. Constrictive haemodynamics may be masked
or complicated by valvular- and coronary artery disease.
e
In chronic obstructive lung disease mitral in-flow velocity will decrease nearly 100% during inspiration and increase during expiration. The mitral E-velocity is highest at the end of expiration (in constrictive
pericarditis mitral E-velocity is highest immediately after start of expiration).106 In addition, superior vena cava flow increases with inspiration in chronic obstructive lung disease, whereas it does not change
significantly with respiration in constrictive pericarditis.
Severe chronic systemic venous congestion associated with low cardiac output, including jugular venous distension, hypotension with a low pulse
pressure, abdominal distension, oedema and muscle wasting.
Clinical presentation
Table 5 Diagnostic approach in constrictive pericarditis
ESC Guidelines
11
No calcifications
Small LV cavity with large atria
Increased wall thickness sometimes present (especially thickened
interatrial septum in amyloidosis)
Thickened valves and granular sparkling (amyloidosis)
Chest radiography
2D-echocardiography
Plethoric
Slow flow propagation
Low-velocity early filling (<8 cm/s)
Peak early velocity of longitudinal expansion (peak Ea)
of P 8.0 cm/s (89% sensitivity and 100% specificity)107
Dip and plateau
LVEDP often >5 mmHg greater than RVEDP, but may be identical,
RV systolic pressure >50 mmHg RVEDP<1/3 RVSP
May reveal specific cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy
Pericardium usually normal
Inferior vena cava
Colour M-mode
Mitral annular motion
Tissue Doppler echocardiography
Cardiac catheterisation
EMB
CT/MRI (Fig. 2)
Hepatic veins
Tricuspid inflow
Pulmonary vein
No respiration variation of mitral inflow E wave velocity, IVRT
E/A ratio P 2, short DT, diastolic regurgitation
Blunted S/D ratio (0.5), prominent and prolonged AR
No respiration variation, D wave
Mild respiration variation of tricuspid inflow E wave velocity,
E/A ratio P 2, TR peak velocity, no significant respiration change
Short DT with inspiration, diastolic regurgitation
Blunted S/D ratio, increased inspiratory reversals
Low voltage, pseudoinfarction, left-axis deviation, AF, conduction
disturbances
ECG
Doppler studies
Mitral inflow
Kussmaul’s sign +, apical impulse )
pericardial knock+, regurgitant murmurs )
Kussmaul’s sign , apical impulse +++
S3 (advanced), S4 (early disease), regurgitant murmurs ++
Physical findings
May be normal or show nonspecific hypertrophy or fibrosis
Pericardium must be thickened or calcified.
Dip and plateau, RVEDP and LVEDP usually equal,
Inspiration: Increase in RV systolic pressure Decrease in LV systolic
pressure, with Expiration, opposite
Negative
Inspiration: decreased inflow E wave velocity, prolonged IVRT
Expiration: opposite changes, short DT, diastolic regurgitation
S/D ratio ¼ 1, Inspiration: decreased PV S and D waves
Expiration: opposite changes
Inspiration: increased tricuspid inflow E wave velocity, increased TR peak
velocity, Expiration: opposite changes
Short DT, diastolic regurgitation
Inspiration: minimally increased HV S and D
Expiration: decreased diastolic flow/increased reversals
Plethoric
Rapid flow propagation ( P 100 cm/s)
High-velocity early filling ( P 8 cm/s)
Normal wall thickness
Pericardial thickening, prominent early diastolic filling with abrupt
displacement of IVS
Calcifications may be present (low diagnostic accuracy)
Low voltage (<50%)
Constrictive pericarditis
Restrictive cardiomyopathy
Method
Table 6 Differential diagnosis: constrictive pericarditis vs. restrictive cardiomyopathy
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ESC Guidelines
ESC Guidelines
Pericardial cysts
Congenital pericardial cysts are uncommon, may have
both unilocular and multilocular forms, with the diameter from 1 to 5 cm.115 Inflammatory cysts comprise
pseudocysts as well as encapsulated and loculated pericardial effusions, caused by rheumatic pericarditis,
bacterial infection, particularly tuberculosis, trauma and
cardiac surgery. Echinococcal cysts usually originate
from ruptured hydatid cysts in the liver and lungs. Most
patients are asymptomatic and cysts are detected incidentally on chest roentgenograms as an oval, homogeneous radiodense lesion, usually at the right
cardiophrenic angle.116 However, the patients can also
present with chest discomfort, dyspnoea, cough or palpitations, due to the compression of the heart. Echocardiography is useful, but additional imaging by
computed tomography (density readings) or magnetic
resonance is often needed.117
The treatment for congenital and inflammatory cysts
is percutaneous aspiration and ethanol sclerosis.118;119 If
this is not feasible, video assisted thoracotomy or surgical resection may be necessary. The surgical excision of
ecchinococcal cysts is not recommended. Percutanous
aspiration and instillation of ethanol or silver nitrate
after pre-treatment with Albendazole (800 mg/day 4
weeks) is safe and effective.119
Specific forms of pericarditis
Viral pericarditis
Viral pericarditis is the most common infection of the
pericardium. Inflammatory abnormalities are due to direct viral attack, the immune response (antiviral or an-
13
ticardiac), or both.3;120;121 Early viral replication in
pericardial and epimyocardial tissue elicits cellular and
humoral immune responses against the virus and/or cardiac tissue. Viral genomic fragments in pericardial tissue
may not necessarily replicate, yet they serve as a source
of antigen to stimulate immune responses. Deposits of
IgM, IgG, and occasionally IgA, can be found in the pericardium and myocardium for years.3;120 Various viruses
cause pericarditis (entero-, echo-, adeno-, cytomegalo-,
Ebstein Barr-, herpes simplex-, influenza, parvo B19,
hepatitis C, HIV, etc). Attacks of enteroviral pericarditis
follow the seasonal epidemics of Coxsackie virus A+B and
Echovirus infections.122 Cytomegalovirus pericarditis has
an increased incidence in immunocompromised and HIV
infected hosts.123–125 Infectious mononucleosis with sore
throat, adenopathy, and positive Mumps or EBV serology
may also present with pericarditis.
The diagnosis of viral pericarditis is not possible
without the evaluation of pericardial effusion and/or
pericardial/epicardial tissue, preferably by PCR or in-situ
hybridisation (level of evidence B, class IIa indication)
(Focus box 3–5). A fourfold rise in serum antibody levels
is suggestive but not diagnostic for viral pericarditis
(level of evidence B, class IIb indication).
Treatment of viral pericarditis is directed to resolve
symptoms (see acute pericarditis), prevent complications, and eradicate the virus. In patients with chronic or
recurrent symptomatic pericardial effusion and confirmed viral infection the following specific treatment is
under investigation: (1) CMV pericarditis: hyperimmunoglobulin – 1 time per day 4 ml/kg on day 0, 4, and 8; 2
ml/kg on day 12 and 16; (2) Coxsackie B pericarditis:
Interferon a: 2.5 Mio. IU/m2 surface area s.c. 3 per
week; (3) adenovirus and parvovirus B19 perimyocarditis:
immunoglobulin treatment: 10 g intravenously at day 1
and 3 for 6–8 h.126
Focus box 3 Analyses of pericardial effusion
Analyses of pericardial effusion can establish the diagnosis of viral, bacterial, tuberculous, fungal, cholesterol, and
malignant pericarditis.9 It should be ordered according to the clinical presentation. Cytology and tumour markers
(carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a-feto protein (AFP), carbohydrate antigens CA 125, CA 72-4, CA 15-3, CA 19-9,
CD-30, CD-25, etc.) should be performed in suspected malignant disease. In suspected tuberculosis acid-fast bacilli
staining, mycobacterium culture or radiometric growth detection (e.g., BACTEC-460), adenosine deaminase (ADA),
interferon (IFN)-c, pericardial lysozyme, and as well as PCR analyses for tuberculosis should be performed (indication class I, level of evidence B).14;61;73–84 Differentiation of tuberculous and neoplastic effusion is virtually absolute with low levels of ADA and high levels of CEA.78 In addition, very high ADA levels have prognostic value for
pericardial constriction.79 However, it should be noted that PCR is as sensitive (75% vs. 83%), but more specific (100%
vs. 78%) than ADA estimation for tuberculous pericarditis.83 In suspected bacterial infection at least three cultures
of pericardial fluid for aerobes and anaerobes as well as the blood cultures are mandatory (level of evidence B,
indication class I). PCR analyses for cardiotropic viruses discriminate viral from autoreactive pericarditis (indication
class IIa, level of evidence B).2 Analyses of the pericardial fluid specific gravity (>1015), protein level (>3.0 g/dl;
fluid/serum ratio >0.5), LDH (>200 mg/dL; serum/fluid >0.6), and glucose (exudates vs. transudates ¼ 77.9 41.9
vs. 96.1 50.7 mg/dl) can separate exudates from transudates but are not directly diagnostic (class IIb).14 However,
purulent effusions with positive cultures have significantly lower fluid glucose levels (47.3 25.3 vs. 102.5 35.6
mg/dl) and fluid to serum ratios (0.28 0.14 vs. 0.84 0.23 mg/dl), than non-infectious effusions.14 White cell
count (WBC) is highest in inflammatory diseases, particularly of bacterial and rheumatologic origin. A very low WBC
count is found in myxedema. Monocyte count is highest in malignant and effusions in hypothyroidisms (79 27% and
74 26%), while rheumatoid and bacterial effusions have the highest proportions of neutrophils (78 20% and
69 23%). Compared with controls, both bacterial and malignant pericardial fluids have higher cholesterol levels
(49 18 vs. 121 20 and 117 33 mg/dl).14
14
ESC Guidelines
The real nature of the cells found in the pericardial effusion can be difficult to recognize. Grams stains in
pericardial fluid have a specificity of 99%, but a sensitivity of only 38% for exclusion of the infection in comparison to
bacterial cultures.14 Combination of epithelial membrane antigen, CEA and vimentin immunocytochemical staining
can be useful to distinguish reactive mesothelial and adenocarcinoma cells.85 Antimyolemmal and antisarcolemmal
antibodies, as well as complement fixation, were seen predominantly in viral and autoreactive effusions.10 In vitro
cardiocytolysis of isolated rat heart cells by the pericardial effusion fluid, with or without addition of a fresh
complement source, was seen primarily in autoreactive effusions. Mediators of inflammation such as Il-6, Il-8 and
IFN-c in pericardial fluids may be also helpful in the discrimination of autoreactive effusions.75;86 A cut-off value of
200 pg/L for pericardial IFN-c resulted in a sensitivity and specificity of 100% for the diagnosis of tuberculous
pericarditis.84
Pericardial manifestation of human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV) infection can be due to infective, non-infective and neoplastic diseases (Kaposi sarcoma and/or
lymphoma). Infective (myo)pericarditis results from the
local HIV infection and/or from the other viral (cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex), bacterial (S. aureus, K.
pneumoniae, M. avium, and tuberculosis) and fungal
coinfections (cryptococcus neoformans).127–130 In progressive disease the incidence of echocardiographically
detected pericardial effusion is up to 40%.131; 132 Cardiac
tamponade is rare.133 During the treatment with retroviral compounds, lipodystrophy can develop (best demonstrated by MRI) with intense paracardial fat deposition
leading to heart failure. Treatment is symptomatic,
while in large effusions and cardiac tamponade pericardiocentesis is necessary. The use of corticoid therapy is
contraindicated except in patients with secondary tuberculous pericarditis, as an adjunct to tuberculostatic
treatment (level of evidence A, indication class I).134
Bacterial pericarditis
Purulent pericarditis in adults is rare (Table 7),135–147 but
always fatal if untreated. Mortality rate in treated patients is 40%, mostly due to cardiac tamponade, toxicity,
and constriction. It is usually a complication of an infection originating elsewhere in the body, arising by
contiguous spread or haematogenous dissemination.148
Predisposing conditions are: pre-existing pericardial effusion, immunosuppression, chronic diseases (alcohol
abuse, rheumatoid arthritis, etc), cardiac surgery and
chest trauma. Rarely, left ventricular pseudoaneurysm
may complicate bacterial pericarditis.149
The disease appears as an acute, fulminant infectious
illness with short duration. Percutaneous pericardiocentesis must be promptly performed. Obtained pericardial
fluid should undergo urgent Gram, acid-fast and fungal
staining, followed by cultures of the pericardial and body
fluids (level of evidence B, indication class I).
Rinsing of the pericardial cavity, combined with effective systemic antibiotic therapy is mandatory (combination
of
antistaphylococcal
antibiotic
and
aminoglycoside, followed by tailored antibiotic therapy
according to the results of pericardial fluid and blood
cultures).136 Intrapericardial instillation of antibiotics
(e.g., gentamycin) is useful but not sufficient. Frequent
irrigation of the pericardial cavity with urokinase or
streptokinase, using large catheters, may liquefy the
purulent exudate,137;138 but open surgical drainage
through subxiphoid pericardiotomy is preferable.135
Pericardiectomy is required in patients with dense adhesions, loculated and thick purulent effusion, recurrence of tamponade, persistent infection, and
progression to constriction.136 Surgical mortality up to 8%
was reported for pericardiectomy combined with antibiotic treatment but the total mortality is higher.
Tuberculous pericarditis
In the last decade TBC pericarditis in the developed
countries has been primarily seen in immunocompromised
patients (AIDS).140 The mortality rate in untreated acute
effusive TBC pericarditis approaches 85%. Pericardial
constriction occurs in 30–50%.139;142 The clinical presentation is variable: acute pericarditis with or without effusion; cardiac tamponade, silent, often large pericardial
effusion with a relapsing course, toxic symptoms with
persistent fever, acute constrictive pericarditis, subacute
constriction, effusive-constrictive, or chronic constrictive pericarditis, and pericardial calcifications.3; 73 The
diagnosis made by the identification of Mycobacterium
tuberculosis in the pericardial fluid or tissue, and/or the
presence of caseous granulomas in the pericardium.3;140
Pericarditis in a patient with proven extracardiac tuberculosis is strongly suggestive of TBC aetiology (several
sputum cultures should be taken).3;143 The tuberculin skin
test may be false negative in 25–33% of patients139 and
false positive in 30–40% (elderly patients).140 A more
accurate enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) test was
recently developed,150 , detecting T-cells specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen. Perimyocardial TBC
involvement is also associated with high titres of antimyolemmal and antimyosin antibodies in the sera.151 The
diagnostic yield of pericardiocentesis in TBC pericarditis
ranges from 30–76% according to the methods applied for
the analyses of pericardial effusion.139;144 Pericardial fluid
demonstrates high specific gravity, high protein levels,
and high white-cell count (from 0.7–54 109 /l).140 Importantly, PCR can identify DNA of Mycobacterium tuberculosis rapidly from only 1 lL of pericardial fluid.144;145
High adenosine deaminase activity and interferon c concentration in pericardial effusion are also diagnostic, with
a high sensitivity and specificity (Focus box 4): Both
pericardioscopy and pericardial biopsy have also improved the diagnostic accuracy for TBC pericarditis.18
Pericardial biopsy enables rapid diagnosis with better
sensitivity than pericardiocentesis (100 vs. 33%).
30
Entero-, echo-, adeno-, cytomegalo,
Ebstein Barr, herpes simplex,
influenza, parvo B19, hepatitis
A,B,C virus, HIV
PCR or in situ hybridisation
(evidence level B, indication IIa)
Gram-stain, bacterial culture,
PCR for Borrelia & chlamydia
pneumoniae (evidence level B,
indication I)
5–10
Staphylococci, pneumococci,
streptococci, Neisseria, proteus,
gram negative rods, Legionella
Bacterial
Male:female ratio
Predisposition
3:1
Unknown
5 per 100 000 patients
1:1
Chronic alcohol abuse,
immuno-suppression,
Clinical features
Identical to acute pericarditis, often Spiking fever, fulminant,
subfebrile
tachycardia, pericardial rubs
Effusion size
Variable, mostly small
Variable
Tamponade
Infrequent
80%
Spontaneous remission
Frequent
None
Recurrence rate
30–50%
Rare
Aspect of PE
Serous/serosanginous
Purulent
Protein content
>3 g/dl
High
Leukocyte count (PE)
>5000/ml
10,000/ml
Pericardial fluid analyses
Activated lymphocytes &
Granulocytes & macrophages
macrophages (sparse)
(massive)
Adenosindeaminase (ADA) –
ADA-negative
negative
Peri- & epicardial biopsy
Lymphocytic peri-/epicarditis,
Leukocytic epicarditis
PCR positive for cardiotropic virus
Mortality if untreated
Depending on agent and tamponade 100%
Intrapericardial treatment Drainage, if needed, no
Drainage and rinsing (saline)
intrapercardial corticoids
gentamycin 80 mg i.p.,
Pericardiotomy/
Rarely needed
Promptly needed
Pericardiectomy
(evidence level B, indication I)
Systemic treatment
I.V. immunoglobulins, IFN
I.V. antibiotics
(in enteroviral P) s.c.
Constriction
Rare
Frequent
Incidence (%) Western
countries
Etiological evidence by
Cardiotropic microbial
agents
Viral
Table 7 Differential diagnosis of the specific forms of pericarditis135–147
Ig-binding to peri- and epicardium,
negative PCR for cardiotropic agents,
epicarditis (evidence level B, indication IIa)
20–30
Ziehl-Neelsen, auramin 0 stain,
culture, PCR (evidence level B,
indication I)
Variable
Infrequent
Rare
Frequent ; >25%
Serous
Intermediate
Intermediate <5000
Activated lymphocytes &
macrophages (sparse)
ADA-negative
Lymphocytic peri-/epicarditis, PCR
negative
In untreated tamponade
Drainage, i.p. triamcinolon
(evidence B, indication IIa)
Rarely needed
NSAIDs, Colchicine,
prednisolone/Azathioprin
Rare
Variable, mostly large
Frequent
None
Frequent
Serosanginous
High/intermediate
Intermediate >8000
Granulocytes & macrophages
(intermediate)
ADA positive (>40 U/ml)
Caseous granuloma, PCR
Tuberculostatic + prednisone
Frequent (30–50%)
Rarely needed
85%
Drainage, if needed
Subfebrile, chronic
1:1
Association to autoimmune
disorders
Subfebrile, chronic
1:1
Alcohol abuse, HIV infection
<4 (much more in Africa &
South America)
Autoimmune process in the absence
of viral and bacterial agents
Autoreactive
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Tuberculous
ESC Guidelines
15
16
ESC Guidelines
Focus box 4 Pericardioscopy and epicardial/pericardial biopsy
Technical advances in instrumentation, introduction of pericardioscopy and contemporary pathology, virology, and
molecular biology techniques have improved the diagnostic value of epicardial/pericardial biopsy.2;10;18;19;87–62;90–93
Pericardioscopy performed through air instead of fluid, made it possible to inspect large areas of pericardial surface, select the biopsy site, and take numerous samples safely.19 Targeted pericardial/epicardial biopsy during
pericardioscopy was particularly useful in the diagnosis of neoplastic pericarditis.18;19; 87;88;89 No major complications
occurred in any of the flexible pericardioscopy studies. Mortality reported in the studies with rigid endoscopes was
2.1%,18 and 3.5%88 due to induction of anaesthesia in patients with very large pericardial effusions.
Various antituberculous drug combinations of different lengths (6, 9, 12 months) have been applied.78;139;140;143 However, only patients with proven or
very likely TBC pericarditis should be treated. Prevention
of constriction in chronic pericardial effusion of undetermined aetiology by “ex iuvantibus” antitubercular
treatment was not successful.152 The use of steroids remains controversial.143; 147;153 A meta analysis of patients
with effusive and constrictive TBC pericarditis154 suggested that tuberculostatic treatment combined with
steroids might be associated with fewer deaths, less
frequent need for pericardiocentesis or pericardiectomy
(level of evidence A, indication class IIa).143;146 If given,
prednisone should be administered in relatively high
doses (1–2 mg/kg per day) since rifampicin induces its
liver metabolism.9 This dose is maintained for 5–7 days
and is progressively reduced to discontinuation in 6–8
weeks. If, in spite of combination therapy, constriction
develops pericardiectomy is indicated (level of evidence
B, class I indication).
Pericarditis in renal failure
Renal failure is a common cause of pericardial disease,
producing large pericardial effusions in up to 20% of patients.155 Two forms have been described: (1) Uremic
pericarditis – in 6–10% of patients with advanced renal
failure (acute or chronic) before dialysis has been instituted or shortly thereafter.156 It results from inflammation
of the visceral and parietal pericardium and correlates
with the degree of azotemia (the BUN is usually >60 mg/
dl). (2) Dialysis-associated pericarditis – in up to 13% of
patients on maintenance haemodialysis,157 and occasionally with chronic peritoneal dialysis due to inadequate
dialysis and/or fluid overload.158 Pathologic examination
of the pericardium shows adhesions between the thickened pericardial membranes (“bread and butter” appearance). The clinical features may include fever and
pleuritic chest pain but many patients are asymptomatic.
Pericardial rubs may persist even in large effusions or may
be transient. Due to autonomic impairment in uremic patients, heart rate may remain slow (60–80 beats/min)
during tamponade, despite fever and hypotension. Anaemia, due to induced resistance to erythropoetin159 may
worsen the clinical picture. The ECG does not show the
typical diffuse ST/T wave elevations observed with other
causes of acute pericarditis due to the lack of the myocardial inflammation.160 If the ECG is typical of acute
pericarditis, intercurrent infection must be suspected.
Most patients with uremic pericarditis respond rapidly
to haemo- or peritoneal dialysis with resolution of chest
pain and pericardial effusion. To avoid haemopericardium heparin-free haemodialysis should be used. Care
should be taken since acute fluid removal with haemodialysis can lead to cardiovascular collapse in patients
with tamponade or pretamponade. Hypokalemia and
hypophosphatemia should be prevented by supplementing the dialysis solution when appropriate.161 Intensified
dialysis usually leads to resolution of the pericarditis
within 1–2 weeks.162 Peritoneal dialysis, which does not
require heparinisation, may be therapeutic in pericarditis resistant to haemodialysis, or if heparin-free haemodialysis cannot be performed. NSAIDs and systemic
corticosteroids have limited success when intensive dialysis is ineffective.163–165 Cardiac tamponade and large
chronic effusions resistant to dialysis must be treated
with pericardiocentesis (level of evidence B, class IIa
indication). Large, non-resolving symptomatic effusions
should be treated with instillation of intrapericardial
corticosteroids after pericardiocentesis or subxiphoid
pericardiotomy (triamcinolone hexacetonide 50 mg every 6 h for 2–3 days).157; 166 Pericardiectomy is indicated
only in refractory, severely symptomatic patients due to
its potential morbidity and mortality. Within two months
after renal transplantation pericarditis has been reported in 2.4% of patients.167 Uraemia or infection (CMV)
may be the causes.
Autoreactive pericarditis and pericardial
involvement in systemic autoimmune diseases
The diagnosis of autoreactive pericarditis is established
using the following criteria:2 (1) increased number of
lymphocytes and mononuclear cells >5000/mm3 (autoreactive lymphocytic), or the presence of antibodies
against heart muscle tissue (antisarcolemmal) in the
pericardial fluid (autoreactive antibody-mediated); (2)
signs of myocarditis on epicardial/endomyocardial biopsies by P 14 cells/mm2 ; (3) exclusion of active viral infection both in pericardial effusion and endomyocardial/
epimyocardial biopsies (no virus isolation, no IgM-titer
against cardiotropic viruses in pericardial effusion, and
negative PCR for major cardiotropic viruses); (4) tuberculosis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Chlamydia pneumoniae,
and other bacterial infection excluded by PCR and/or
cultures; (5) neoplastic infiltration absent in pericardial
effusion and biopsy samples; (6) exclusion of systemic,
metabolic disorders, and uraemia. Intrapericardial
treatment with triamcinolone is highly efficient with low
incidence of side effects.2
Pericarditis, with or without effusion, is also a component of a multiserositis in systemic autoimmune dis-
ESC Guidelines
eases: rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), progressive systemic sclerosis, polymyositis/
dermatomyositis, mixed connective tissue disease, seronegative spondyloarthropathies, systemic and hypersensitivity vasculitides, Behcßet syndrome, Wegener
granulomatosis and sarcoidosis.9 Intensified treatment of
the underlying disease and symptomatic management
are indicated (level of evidence B, indication class I).
Treatment should focus on pericardial symptoms, management of the pericardial effusion, and the underlying
systemic disease.
The post-cardiac injury syndrome:
postpericardiotomy syndrome
Post-cardiac injury syndrome develops within days to
months after cardiac, pericardial injury or both.9;168 It
resembles the post-myocardial infarction syndrome,
both appearing to be variants of a common immunopathic process. Unlike post-myocardial infarction syndrome, post-cardiac injury syndrome acutely provokes a
greater antiheart antibody response (antisarcolemmal
and antifibrillary), probably related to more extensive
release of antigenic material.168;169 Pericardial effusion
also occurs after orthotopic heart transplantation (21%).
It is more frequent in patients receiving aminocaproic
acid during the operation.170 Cardiac tamponade after
open heart surgery is more common following valve
surgery (73%) than coronary artery bypass grafting
(CABG) alone (24%) and may be related to the preoperative use of anticoagulants.171 Constrictive pericarditis
may also occur after cardiac surgery. Warfarin administration in patients with early postoperative pericardial
effusion imposes the greatest risk, particularly in those
who did not undergo pericardiocentesis and drainage of
the effusion.172 Symptomatic treatment is as in acute
pericarditis (NSAIDs or colchicine for several weeks or
months, even after disappearance of effusion).173 Long
term (3–6 months) oral corticoids or preferably pericardiocentesis and intrapericardial instillation of triamcinolone (300 mg/m2 ) are therapeutic options in
refractory forms. Redo surgery and pericardiectomy are
very rarely needed. Primary prevention of postperiocardiotomy syndrome using short-term perioperative steroid
treatment or colchicine is under investigation.174
Postinfarction pericarditis
Two forms of postinfarction pericarditis can be distinguished: an “early” form (pericarditis epistenocardica)
and a “delayed” form (Dressler’s syndrome).175 Epistenocardiac pericarditis, caused by direct exudation,
occurs in 5–20% of transmural myocardial infarctions but
is clinically discovered rarely. Dressler’s syndrome occurs from one week to several months after clinical onset
of myocardial infarction with symptoms and manifestations similar to the post-cardiac injury syndrome. It does
not require transmural infarction176 and can also appear
as an extension of epistenocardiac pericarditis. Its incidence is 0.5–5%177 and is still lower in patients treated
17
with thrombolytics (<0.5%),178 but was more frequent in
cases of pericardial bleeding after antithrombotic
treatment.175;179 Of note, ECG changes are often overshadowed by myocardial infarction changes. Stage I ECG
changes are uncommon and suggest “early” post-myocardial infarction syndrome whereas failure to evolve or
“resurrection” of previously inverted T waves strongly
suggest myocardial infarction pericarditis.180;181 Postinfarction pericardial effusion >10 mm is most frequently
associated with haemopericardium, and two thirds of
these patients may develop tamponade/free wall rupture.182 Urgent surgical treatment is life saving. However, if the immediate surgery is not available or
contraindicated pericardiocentesis and intrapericardial
fibrin-glue instillation could be an alternative in subacute
tamponade.182;183
Hospitalisation to observe for tamponade, differential diagnosis, and adjustments of treatment is
needed. Ibuprofen, which increases coronary flow, is
the agent of choice.184 Aspirin, up to 650 mg every 4
h for 2–5 days has also been successfully applied.
Other nonsteroidal agents risk thinning the infarction
zone.185 Corticosteroid therapy can be used for refractory symptoms only but could delay myocardial
infarction healing (level of evidence B, class IIa indication).
Traumatic pericardial effusion and
haemopericardium in aortic dissection
Direct pericardial injury can be induced by accidents or
iatrogenic wounds.9;186–189 Blood loss, vasoconstriction,
and haematothorax leading to severe hypotension and
shock may mask pulses paradoxus.189 Thoracotomy and
surgical repair should be performed to stabilize the
haemodynamics.
Iatrogenic tamponade occurs most frequently in percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty, during or after transseptal
puncture,
particularly,
if
no
biplane
catheterisation laboratory is available and a small left
atrium is present. Whereas the puncture of the interatrial septum is asymptomatic, the passage of the free
wall induces chest-pain immediately. If high-pressure
containing structures are punctured, rapid deterioration
occurs. However, if only the atrial wall is passed, the
onset of symptoms and the tamponade may be delayed
for 4–6 h. Rescue pericardiocentesis is successful in
95–100% with a mortality of less than 1%36 (Table 8).
Transsection of the coronary artery and acute or
subacute cardiac tamponade may occur during percutaneous coronary interventions.191;192 A breakthrough in
the treatment of coronary perforation are membranecovered graft stents.196;197 Perforation of the coronary
artery by a guidewire is not infrequent and causes very
rarely a relevant pericardial haemorrhage.
During right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy, due
to the low stiffness of the myocardium, the catheter may
pass the myocardium, particularly, when the bioptome
has not been opened before reaching the endocardial
border. The rate of perforation is reported to be in the
range of 0.3–5%, leading to tamponade and circulatory
Other causes
Injury (direct: e.g., stabbing;
indirect: compression, closed
chest massage)
Aortic dissection
Often lethal
Lethal if not
operated
48% post mortem,
17–45% in clinical
series
0.1%
Not available
0.3–3.1%
Pacemaker leads
0–0.05%
Not available
Not available
<1%
0%
1.7–3%
<2% (?)
1–3%
0.1–3.3%
0.3–5%
Not available
Not available
Not available
0.3–3.2
0.1–3
0–2%
<1%
Not available
Mortality (%)
1–3
Not infrequent
Incidence (%)
186–213
Right ventricular biopsy
(RV-EMB)
Rotablation
Transluminal extraction
atherectomy (atherocath)
Excimer laser angioplasty
High pressure stenting
Mitral valvuloplasty
Left ventricular biopsy (LV-EMB)
Iatrogenic
Transseptal puncture
Coronary artery perforation
during PTCA (guidewire only)
Coronary artery transsection
during PTCA
Effusion due to
Table 8 Traumatic pericardial effusion
Transoesophageal echo, CT or MRI,
immediate surgery
Direct: surgery (see text) indirect:
pericardiocentesis or surgery
Routine echocardiography post EMB,
pericardiocentesis, if needed; reverse
anticoagulation
Routine echocardiography post EMB,
pericardiocentesis, if needed; reverse
anticoagulation
Routine echocardiography post implantation,
pericardiocentesis, if needed
See above
See above
Sealing by graft stents (best) or perfusion
catheters with balloon occlusion of perforated
vessel, if pericardial puncture is need reinfusion
of recovered blood in vein avoids anaemia.
See above
See above
Rescue pericardiocentesis, if needed
Watchful waiting by withdrawal of guidewire
Management
Particularly in De- Bakey I + II ¼ Stanford
type A203–208
Pericardial effusion with/without
tamponade,209;210 postpericardiotomy
syndrome,211 constrictive pericarditis212
199;200;213
199;200;213
190;198
See above192
See above192
See above191;192
See above
Surgery only if >30% of myocardium
at stake or bleeding cannot be stopped191;192
Use biplane angio-graphy190
Reverse anticoagulation
Comment/reference
18
ESC Guidelines
ESC Guidelines
collapse in less than half of the cases.199;200;213 The incidence of pericardial haemorrhage in left ventricular
endomyocardial biopsy is lower (0.1–3.3%). Frank cardiac perforations seem to be accompanied by sudden
bradycardia and hypotension.199 Severe complications,
leading to procedure related mortality were reported in
only 0.05% in a worldwide survey of more than 6000
cases200 and in none of the 2537 patients from the registry of an experienced reference centre.213
Pacemaker leads penetrating the right ventricle or
epicardial fixed electrodes may cause pericarditis with
tamponade, adhesions, or constriction. A right bundle
brand block instead of a usually induced left bundle
branch block can be a first clue.209–212
Blunt chest trauma is the major risk of car accidence.
The deceleration force can lead to myocardial contusion
with intrapericardial haemorrhage, cardiac rupture,
pericardial rupture, or herniation. Transesophageal
echocardiography in the emergency room202 or immediate computed tomography should be performed. Indirect
injury of the pericardium is more difficult to detect.
Pericardial laceration and partial extrusion of the heart
into the mediastinum and pleural space may also occur
after injury.187
In dissection of the ascending aorta (pericardial effusion can be found in 17–45% of the patients and in 48%
of the autopsy cases (Table 8).203 In a clinical series of
aortic dissection, pericardial tamponade was found by
CT,204 MRI,205 or echocardiography206 in 17–33% of patients with type I dissection and 18–45% in type II dissection
and
6%
in
type
III
dissection.204
Pericardiocentesis is contraindicated, due to the risk of
intensified bleeding and extension of the dissection.207;214 Surgery should be performed immediately
after the diagnosis is established by echocardiography
and/or CT/MRI, even if no coronary angiography or aortography is available (level of evidence B, indication
class I).
Neoplastic pericarditis
Primary tumours of the pericardium are 40 times less
common than the metastatic ones.9 Mesothelioma, the
most common of the primary tumours, is almost always
incurable. Metastatic tumours of the pericardium are
found in 15–30% of all autopsies performed in patients
19
with malignant disease and in 4% in general autopsies.215
The most common secondary malignant tumours are lung
cancer, breast cancer, malignant melanoma, lymphomas, and leukemias. Effusions may be small or large with
an imminent tamponade (frequent recurrences) or constriction. It even may be the initial sign of malignant
disease.216 The majority of patients with malignant
pericardial effusion are asymptomatic, particularly if the
accumulation of pericardial effusion is gradual. The onset of dyspnoea, cough, chest pain, tachycardia, jugular
venous distension is observed when the volume of fluid
exceeds 500 ml. Orthopnea, weakness, dysphagia, syncope, palpitations, pericardial friction rub, hiccups,
distant heart sounds, pleural effusion, hepatomegaly,
oliguria, and oedema can also be present.9 Pulsus paradoxus, hypotension, cardiogenic shock and paradoxical
movement of the jugular venous pulse are important
signs of cardiac tamponade.
The diagnosis is based on the confirmation of the
malignant infiltration within pericardial sac. Of note, in
almost two thirds of the patients with documented malignancy pericardial effusion is caused by non-malignant
diseases, e.g., radiation pericarditis, or opportunistic
infections.87; 88 The chest roentgenogram, CT, and MRI
may reveal mediastinal widening, hilar masses, and
pleural effusion.9 The analyses of pericardial fluid,
pericardial or epicardial biopsy are essential for the
confirmation of malignant pericardial disease (level of
evidence B, indication class I) (Focus box 3–5).
Treatment of cardiac tamponade is a class I indication
for pericardiocentesis. The following steps are recommended in suspected neoplastic pericardial effusion
without tamponade: (1) systemic antineoplastic treatment as baseline therapy which can prevent recurrences
in up to 67% of cases216 (level of evidence B, class I indication); (2) pericardiocentesis to relieve symptoms and
establish diagnosis (level of evidence B, class IIa indication); (3) intrapericardial instillation of cytostatic/sclerosing agent (level of evidence B, class IIa indication).
Pericardial drainage is recommended, when technically
possible, in all patients with large effusions because of
the high recurrence rate (40–70%) (level of evidence B,
indication class I).217–223 Prevention of recurrences, may
be achieved by intrapericardial instillation of: sclerosing,
cytotoxic agents, or immunomodulators. Intrapericardial
treatment tailored to the type of the tumour indicate
Focus box 5 Epicardial/pericardial tissue analyses
Histology of epicardial/pericardial biopsies can establish the diagnosis in patients with neoplastic pericarditis and
tuberculosis.19;89;91 Diagnosis of viral pericarditis can be established by PCR techniques with much higher sensitivity
and specificity in comparison to viral isolation from fluid and tissue.93;94–97 Immunohistochemistry, especially IgG-,
IgM- and IgA- and complement fixation contribute significantly to the diagnostic value of epicardial biopsy.2
Specificity of immunoglobulin fixation in autoreactive pericarditis is 100%. Complement fixation was found primarily
in patients with the autoreactive form and rarely in patients with neoplastic pericarditis.10
Malignant mesotheliomas can be distinguished from pulmonary adenocarcinomas by immunohistochemical
staining for CEA, surfactant apoprotein, Lewis a, and Tn antigen.98 The majority (78%) of the malignant mesotheliomas expressed keratin, but CEA and surfactant apoprotein were not detected in any mesotheliomas. On the
other hand, pulmonary adenocarcinomas expressed not only keratin (100%), but also CEA (62%) and surfactant
apoprotein (62%). The expression of Lewis a blood group antigen and Tn antigen was detected in 76% and 62% of the
pulmonary adenocarcinomas, respectively, but only one mesothelioma was stained for Lewis a antigen.
20
that administration of cisplatin is most effective in secondary lung cancer and intrapericardial instillation of
thiotepa was more effective in breast cancer pericardial
metastases.224–226 No patient showed signs of constrictive pericarditis (for both agents level of evidence B,
indication class IIa). Tetracycline as sclerosing agents
also control the malignant pericardial effusion in around
85% of cases, but side effects and complications are
quite frequent: fever (19%), chest pain (20%), and atrial
arrhythmias (10%) (level of evidence B, indication class
IIb).216;222;223 Although classic sclerotherapy after intrapericardial instillation of tetracycline, doxycycline,
minocycline and bleomycin is an effective procedure,
constrictive pericarditis secondary to fibrosis remains a
severe problem in long-term survivors.223 Although intrapericardial administration of radionuclides has yielded
very good results, it is not widely accepted because of
the logistic problems connected with their radioactivity227 (level of evidence B, indication IIa). Radiation
therapy is very effective (93%) in controlling malignant
pericardial effusion (level of evidence B, indication class
IIa) in patients with radiosensitive tumours such as lymphomas and leukemias. However, radiotherapy of the
heart can cause myocarditis and pericarditis by itself.216
Subxyphoid pericardiotomy is indicated when pericardiocentesis cannot be performed (level of evidence B, indication IIb).228 The procedure can be carried out in local
anaesthesia, but complications include myocardial laceration, pneumothorax, and mortality.216;229–233 Pleuropericardiotomy allows drainage of malignant pericardial
fluid into the pleural space (level of evidence C, indication IIb). It is associated with a higher complications rate
and offers no advantage over pericardiocentesis or subxyphoid pericardiotomy. Pericardiectomy is rarely indicated, mainly for pericardial constriction or
complications of previous procedures.216
Percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy creates a
pleuro-pericardial direct communication, which allows
fluid drainage into the pleural space (level of evidence B,
indication class IIa). In large malignant pericardial effusions and recurrent tamponade, it seems to be effective
(90–97%) and safe38;234 but has the potential risk of dissemination of neoplastic cells.
Rare forms of pericardial disease
Fungal pericarditis
Fungal pericarditis occurs mainly in immunocompromised
patients or in the course of endemic-acquired fungal
infections.235 The clinical picture comprises the full
spectrum of pericardial diseases including fungal myocarditis.3 Fungal pericarditis is mainly due to endemic
fungi (Histoplasma, Coccidioides), or nonendemic – opportunistic fungi (Candida, Aspergillus, Blastomyces) and
semifungi (Nocardia, Actinomyces).236–238 Diagnosis is
obtained by staining and culturing pericardial fluid or
tissue. Antifungal antibodies in serum are also helpful in
establishing the diagnosis of fungal infection.3 Antifungal
treatment with fluconazole, ketoconasole, itraconasole,
amphotericin B, liposomal amphotericin B or amphotericin B lipid complex is indicated in patients with docu-
ESC Guidelines
mented fungal pericarditis (level of evidence B,
indication class I). Corticosteroids and NSAIDs can support the treatment with antifungal drugs (level of evidence C, indication class IIa). Patients with pericarditis
in the course of histoplasmosis do not need antifungal
therapy, but respond to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs given during 2–12 weeks. Sulfonamides are the
drugs of choice for a nocardiosis infection. Combination
of three antibiotics including penicillin should be given
for actinomycosis (level of evidence C, indication class
I). Pericardiocentesis or surgical treatment is indicated
for haemodynamic impairment. Pericardiectomy is indicated in fungal constrictive pericarditis (level of evidence C, indication class I).
Radiation pericarditis
The probability to develop radiation-induced pericarditis
is influenced by the applied source, dose, its fractionation, duration, radiation exposed volume, form of
mantel field therapy, and the age of the patients.239
Radiation induced pericarditis may occur already during
the therapy or months and years later – with latency of
up to 15–20 years. The effusion may be serous or
haemorrhagic, later on with fibrinous adhesions or constriction, typically without tissue calcification. The
symptoms may be masked by the underlying disease or
the applied chemotherapy. Imaging should start with
echocardiography, followed by cardiac CT or MRI if
necessary. Pericarditis without tamponade may be
treated conservatively or by pericardiocentesis for diagnostic purposes or if haemodynamic compromise/
tamponade occurs. Pericardial constriction may happen
in up to 20% of patients, requiring pericardiectomy. The
operative mortality is high (21%) and the postoperative
five years survival rate is very low (1%)240 mostly due to
myocardial fibrosis.
Chylopericardium
Chylopericardium refers to a communication between
the pericardial sac and the thoracic duct, as a result of
trauma, congenital anomalies, or as a complication of
open-heart surgery,241 mediastinal lymphangiomas,
lymphangiomatous hamartomas, lymphangiectasis, and
obstruction or anomalies of the thoracic duct.242 Infection, tamponade or constriction may aggravate the
prognosis.243 The pericardial fluid is sterile, odourless,
and opalescent with a milky white appearance and the
microscopic finding of fat droplets. The chylous nature of
the fluid is confirmed by its alkaline reaction, specific
gravity between 1010 and 1021,244;245 Sudan III stain for
fat, the high concentrations of triglycerides (5–50 g/l)
and protein (22–60 g/l). Enhanced computed tomography,246 alone or combined with lymphography, can
identify not only the location of the thoracic duct but
also its lymphatic connection to the pericardium.247
Treatment depends the aetiology and the amount of
chylous accumulation.248 Chylopericardium after thoracic or cardiac operation without signs of tamponade is
preferably treated by pericardiocentesis and diet (medium chain triglycerides).249;250 If further production of
chylous effusion continues, surgical treatment is man-
ESC Guidelines
datory (level of evidence B, indication class I). When
conservative treatment and pericardiocentesis fail,
pericardio-peritoneal shunting by a pericardial window is
a reasonable option.251;252 Alternatively, when the course
of the thoracic duct was precisely identified, its ligation
and resection just above the diaphragm is the most effective treatment.253 In secondary chylopericardium the
underlying disease, e.g., mediastinal tumour should be
treated.
Drug- and toxin-related pericarditis
Pericardial reactions to drugs are rare. However, several
medications and toxic substances can induce pericarditis, tamponade, adhesions, fibrosis, or constriction (Table 9).9;254 Mechanisms include drug induced lupus
reactions, idiosyncrasy, “serum sickness”, foreign substance reactions, and immunopathy. Management is
based on discontinuation of the causative agent and
symptomatic treatment.
Pericardial effusion in thyroid disorders
Pericardial effusion occurs in 5–30% of patients with
hypothyroidism.9 Fluid accumulates slowly and tamponade occurs rarely. In some cases cholesterol pericarditis
may be observed. The diagnosis of hypothyroidism is
based on serum levels of thyroxin and thyroid stimulating
21
hormone. Bradycardia, low-voltage of the QRS and T
wave inversion or flattening in the ECG, cardiomegaly in
the roentgenogram and pericardial effusion in echocardiography, as well as a history of radiation induced thyroid dysfunction,255 myopathy, ascites, pleural effusion
and uveal oedema may be observed.255–259 Therapy with
thyroid hormone decreases pericardial effusion (level of
evidence B, indication class I).
Pericardial effusion in pregnancy
There is no evidence that pregnancy affects susceptibility to pericardial disease. However, many pregnant women develop a minimal to moderate clinically silent
hydropericardium by the third trimester. Cardiac compression is rare.260 ECG changes of acute pericarditis in
pregnancy should be distinguished from the slight STsegment depressions and T-wave changes seen in normal
pregnancy (Table 10).260–275 Occult constriction becomes
manifest in pregnancy due to the increased blood volume.261 Most pericardial disorders are managed as in
nonpregnant. Caution is necessary while high-dose aspirin may prematurely close the ductus arteriosus, and
colchicine is contraindicated in pregnancy. Pericardiotomy and pericardiectomy can be safely performed if
necessary and do not impose a risk for subsequent
pregnancies.262;263 Foetal pericardial fluid can be de-
Table 9 Drug- and toxin-related pericardial disease9;254
A. Drug-induced lupus erythematosus
Procainamide
Tocainide
Hydralazine
Methyldopa
Mesalazine
Reserpine
Isoniazid
Hydantoins
B. Hypersensitivity reaction
Penicillins
Tryptophan
Cromolyn sodium
Amiodarone
Streptokinase
p-Aminosalicylic acid
Thiazides
Streptomycin
Thiouracils
Sulfa drugs
Cyclophosphamide
Cyclosporine
Mesalazine
5-Fluorouracil
Vaccines (Smallpox, Yellow fever)
GM-CSF
C. Idiosyncratic reaction or hypersensitivity
Methysergide
Minoxidil
Practolol
Bromocriptine
Psicofuranine
Polymer fume inhalation
Cytarabine
Phenylbutazone
D. Anthracycline derivatives
Doxorubicin
Daunorubicin
E. Serum sickness
Foreign antisera (e.g., antitetanus)
Blood products
F. Venom
Scorpion fish sting
G. Foreign-substance reactions (direct pericardial application)
Talc (Mg silicate)
Silicones
H. Secondary pericardial bleeding/haemopericardium
Anticoagulants
I. Polymer fume fever – inhalation of the burning
fumes of polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon)
Tetracycline/other
sclerosants
Asbestos
Thrombolytic agents
Iron in b-thalasssemia
Acute pericarditis
Electrocardiogram
Pericardial effusion/tamponade
Haemopericardium in aortic dissection
Haemopericardium in aortic dissection273
Confirmation of cardiac tamponade or
constriction274
Constrictive pericarditisd274
Haemopericardium in aortic dissection
Only in tamponade or diagnostic
pericardiocentesis in critically ill patients
Only in vital indications10;19
Suspected tuberculous/neoplastic disease
Suspected cardiac tamponade or
haemopericardium in aortic dissection if
echocardiography is not available
Chest trauma
Foetal radiation exposure similar as during cardiac catheterisation
Brachial approach preferred (to minimize radiation exposure)
Appropriate shielding (exposure kept to a minimum)
Echocardiography guidance to avoid foetal radiation exposure whenever possible
Enlarged right chambers (left lateral position)272
LV systolic dimensions unchanged/slightly increased
An increase in lung markings may simulate a pattern of flow redistribution
(LV failure in perimyocarditis)
Small pleural effusion is often found early post partum271
resolving spontaneously 1–2 weeks after delivery
The heart may seem enlarged (horizontal positioning)
ECG changes of acute pericarditis9 should be distinguished from
changes in normal pregnancy
QRS axis shift to left or right268
ST-segment depressions269 and T-wave changes
A small Q wave and an inverted P wave in lead III that vary with
respiration, greater R-wave amplitude in V2
Sinus tachycardia, atrial and/or ventricular premature beats270
Can be also noted in
Normal late pregnancy with no pericardial effusion
Chronic constrictive pericarditis (50%)
Bronchial asthma/emphysema
Pulmonary embolism
Extreme obesity
Hypovolemic shock
Interpretation in pregnancy
b
Estimated radiation to the uterus is low (0.2–43.0 mrad)267 but is best avoided in pregnancy.
Safety has not been fully established.274
c
High dose of radiation (500 mrad to the conceptus, even with an appropriate pelvic shield) (488).
d
When cardiac decompensation occurs during pregnancy in patients with constrictive pericarditis, particularly if cardiac surgery is being considered, cardiac catheterisation is required to: (1) confirm the
diagnosis and (2) to exclude accompanied coronary artery disease in patients with several risk factors for coronary artery disease and of age >35 years.
a
Pericardioscopy and epicardial/pericardial
biopsy
Pericardiocentesis
Cardiac catheterisationc
Magnetic resonance imagingb
Swan-ganz catheterization
Echocardiography
Chest radiographya
Diagnosis of cardiac tamponade
Pulsus paradoxus
Myopericarditis
Indications
Procedure
Table 10 Diagnostic approach to pericardial effusion in pregnancy260–275
22
ESC Guidelines
ESC Guidelines
tected by echocardiography after 20 weeks’ gestation
and is normally 2 mm or less in depth. More fluid should
raise questions of hydrops foetalis, Rh disease, hypoalbuminemia, and immunopathy or maternally transmitted
mycoplasmal or other infections, and neoplasia.264
Acknowledgements
Members of the Task Force have the pleasure to acknowledge participation of Prof. Dr. Annalisa Angelini
(Padua, Italy), Chairperson of the ESC WG Developmental
Anatomy and Pathology, and Dr. Steffen Lamparter
(Marburg, Germany) in preparation of the sections of the
Guidelines on pericardial pathology and analyses of
pericardial effusion. We also highly appreciate kind
technical assistance of Ms. Veronica Dean (European
Heart House).
Special thanks to Prof. Dr. Eloisa Arbustini for her
significant contribution to the review process of these
guidelines.
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